Mind Games
by lovelyXlaela
Summary: Hermione is in her "eighth" year at Hogwarts and is all alone to deal with a Stalker in her dreams... as she tries to figure out the identity of the person playing these mind games, she gets help from someone least expected.
1. Chapter 1

Hermione was glad that Headmistress McGonagall was allowing the seventh years that were involved with the war to come back and take the N.E.W.T.S. and graduate. She had the feeling that this year was going to be the worst because Harry and Ron were gone. Their deaths were still fresh as ever in her mind. It was at the last of the war, Ron was the first to go, and he was killed by the wand of Bellatrix Lestrange. She had killed the horrible witch for what she did to him. When she lost Harry, it absolutely broke her. She had loved Harry, but not in the sense that you are thinking, she loved him as a brother and he was by far the closest to one she would ever have. Harry had died right after killing Voldemort with his last bit of will that he had. The war had taken its toll on most of the wizarding world, most of them losing family and close friends, and those that were tortured, have reminders that are hard to forget. She had it the hardest though, she did not know what to do now that both of her closest friends were dead along with her parents. She had stayed the summer with the Weasley's and she could barely even look at them without constant reminders of Ron and Harry. The war had changed her, she was not as open to people, she kept quiet, and only spoke when spoken to. There was a hole in herself that she did not know how to fill, and not only that, she didn't know if it would ever fill. She looked at the clock on the wall noticing it was time to go, and banished the thought of Harry and Ron to the back of her head and grabbed her trunk.

On the Hogwarts Express, Hermione was in a compartment alone, when Seamus, Luna, Neville, Ginny, and Dean walked in and sat down. "Hello Hermione," Luna said in her soft tinkling voice. "How are you?" Ginny whispered, and Hermione softly smiled at the two. "I'm doing okay; I made Head Girl this year." They all said their congratulations, and then went on to talk about their own likings; the boys were talking about Quidditch while the girls talked about boys and their stupid games. Hermione sat still and silent as she stared out the window and let everyone else chatter amongst themselves. After what seemed like an hour, Seamus asked, "Do you know who Head Boy is?" when she shook her head he said, "Well it's too bad Harry isn't here, I'm sure he would've made It." The statement wasn't meant to hurt her so badly, but it did and so she decided that it was time to go to the Head's compartment, she wasn't sure if she could take any more questions or comments on her best friends if they were to ask or say them.

"I better be off, wouldn't want to disappoint professor McGonagall before school starts." Hermione left and headed toward the front of the train. Not looking straight ahead and thoughts somewhere else, she ran into something hard and looked up. The person was taller than her with platinum blonde locks. She'd know that blonde hair anywhere. "Why don't you watch where you're going Granger?" the boy sneered. Draco Malfoy, the boy that has tormented and verbally abused her and her friends for the past six years. "Well if you're stupid ferret self wasn't in my way, I wouldn't have run into you. Now if you would excuse me, I need to get by." She argued and shoved past him and into the front compartment not wanting to deal with him with the way she was feeling. Unfortunately he followed her in.

She looked up and saw that Malfoy had followed her into the compartment and sat down across from her with one of his famous smirks plastered on his face. "This is for the Head Boy and Girl only Malfoy, you need to leave." His grin just widened as professor McGonagall stepped in. "Hello Hermione, Draco, I'm glad to see that you made it on time." Hermione was shocked and speechless. By the look on her face, the old witch could see the disgust and surprise on the young girl's face. "Yes, Hermione, Draco here is Head Boy this year. Now, the housing will be different this year, as I want you two to set an example to the other houses in hopes that we can have unity. You will have your own private rooms, but they will both lead to one common room.

Also you will be sharing a bathroom that is enchanted with security wards once it senses that one is about to use it intimately such as a shower." She said allowing everything to sink in. Draco was the one to blow up first. "You mean to tell me that I'm going to be sharing a room with that filth?" She let the insult slide, but couldn't hide a little of the hurt that showed on her face. McGonagall must have saw, "Hermione, Dear, I know that this year is going to be the hardest for you, and I will be here if you need me; but I'm going to need you to help me show the other students now that there is no more fear, that we all need to try and unify the houses. Draco, enough with the insults, I would hate to have to take off points for the Slytherin house before school has even started." With that she left them by their selves.

The thought of sharing a common room with the Gryffindor princess was not a pleasant one. At first, before she bumped into him, he had saw her once brandy colored bush of hair now tamed into silky waves, her slender waist and long legs. Once he realized that it was Granger, he could not believe that he had ever thought the little mudblood beautiful. He was determined to make this year the best year yet, and he be damned if she was going to ruin it. It didn't surprise him that she was Head Girl; after all she had bested him in all of their classes and practically everything else. Draco knew about Harry and Ron's death, the whole wizarding world knew that the boy-who-lived and his weasel of a side kick had become the boy-who-died and road kill. Poor little Hermione was left to her lonesome, no more Golden Trio. He looked over to where she remained sitting across from him in complete silence. Her eyes were closed and he could tell that she was trying to calm herself down. He was surprised that she hadn't said anything back at him when he called her filth. It also surprised him that she wasn't having as much of a fight about sharing a room with him as he thought she would have. It was strange.

As the ride continued on in silence, he sat back and thought about everything that had happened after the war. His father was dead. And his mother was free from having to be abused and worry about her son's safety. Everything that his father had taught him had gotten his father killed. To say the truth, he never once believed in everything his father believed. He saw some horrible things that his father did when he was alive and he did not want to turn out that way. Maybe, just maybe this year would be a new beginning for the Malfoy name. Maybe this year he could turn his life around…ha that would be something wouldn't it? Blaise was taken with Mr. Zabini into hiding when Voldemort fell. He hasn't seen or heard from his best friend in months. Pansy was still here, though she wasn't the same either, her parents were killed in the war and she was left alone as well. He saw her over the summer, and she had changed drastically; no more the squealing pug faced girl that hung all over him. Draco was pulled from his thoughts as Hermione stood up quietly and headed out, probably to go tell the first years to change into their robes, they were about five minutes away.

After the carriage ride up to the castle, the students made their way to the Great Hall, everyone taking their seats except for the first years as they waited to be sorted into their proper houses. Draco sat down in the exact middle of the Slytherin table as he had for the past six years. Pansy Parkinson sat down beside him and sat there with her head down. Professor McGonagall stood as the first years all took their seats. "Welcome students to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I am glad to say that this year is the beginning of a new time, a time where we do not have to live in fear. I welcome back all of those who fought bravely in the war." When she said this, Draco couldn't help but look over to the Gryffindor table at Hermione. She was sitting with Ginny, Luna, and Neville, looking heartbroken and miserable. "I would now like to introduce you to your new Heads. The Head Boy this year will be Draco Malfoy," Cheers arose from the Slytherin table, while glares of daggers from the Gryffindor aimed at him at the thought of the Slytherin Prince having been paired with Hermione. "And your Head Girl is Hermione Granger," Cheers arose from the Gryffindor table.

The headmaster went on with her speech, "I am glad to say that there will be no more fear, and it is now time for this school to finally work on the thing that Dumbledore wanted most, House unity." Everyone gasped and groaned at this announcement. "I would also like to add that there will be a masquerade ball held in his honor, and also it will be honoring of our heroes that died freeing us all, Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley, along with the still living that also fought bravely. With that I will finish up and now, you may eat." The giant feast that they always had on the first night of school appeared on the tables in front of the students. He filled his plate and ate it all while exchanging small talk with his fellow seventh years for the rest of dinner.

After the feast, Draco and Hermione followed Professor McGonagall to a painting of a young couple dressed in eighteen hundreds French attire up on the sixth floor. When they approached, the young girl pulled away from the boy and smiled. "Hello dears, these are the new tenants, you may set up a password with them. Good night Mister Malfoy, Miss Granger." The old lady bid them farewell and left. The young boy looked at the pair, and then turned to his partner. "The password will be Ma Cherie and whenever you two are together, you must say it together, otherwise, if it is just one of you, one will suffice." Draco looked at Hermione who looked back at him, and then at the same time they spoke the words, "Ma Cherie." The painting swung open to reveal the common room. It was a large room with the fireplace on the far side of the room, a chocolate brown leather couch sitting right in front of the fireplace; there were two armchairs on each side of the couch. There were bookshelves in dark mahogany, and a red and green rug.

There was a small kitchenette and a tall spiral staircase leading up to the private rooms. Above the doors that led to the rooms there was a flag for each house. Draco watched as Hermione gasped with the splendor of the room. This was nothing new to him, and he was bored while watching her. He also had noticed that she had barely said anything other than the password while entering the room and was a little startled when she spoke. "It's beautiful, I wonder what our rooms look like?" she said as she began walking up the stairs to the door with the lion above the door. Deciding that it was too soon to go to his room, he walked over to the small kitchenette and found a coffee pot that began making coffee as soon as he walked up to it and pressed the on button.

Hermione stepped through the door to her private suite, and she was blown away. There was a queen size four poster bed, with gold and red beddings and a gold sheer canopy hanging off. Her clothes were already unpacked and in their proper places. Sitting down on the bed, she took in all the little details of her room, like the small lion book ends holding up her school books and her books that she brought for her own enjoyment. On the far side across from her bed there was a red chair by the bookshelf and a mahogany desk for her. There was a selection of quills and different colored inks for her to write with. After a while she got up and walked into the bathroom that her and Draco were going to be sharing and was again shocked at the splendor of it. It was covered in white marble with swirls of silver and gold, there were his and her sinks, a wide walk in shower with a Jacuzzi tub next to it that looked ideal for a bubble bath and a book. After setting up a few toiletries next to the sink closest to her door, she was just about to leave when Draco walked through the door in only a pair of perfectly tailored pants. She couldn't help but stare at his muscular defined body. With each muscle softly outlined, and a light patch of silvery hair dipping down into his pants.

"Like what you see Granger?" he said jolting her back to attention. She felt her cheeks start to turn pink with a blush, "No Malfoy, I'm sorry, didn't mean to stare." She whispered. "Oh come now Granger, it's just a body, it's not like it's going to bite." his dark silver eyes sparkling dangerously, his mouth smirking at her. Hermione could feel the embarrassment and anger begin boiling, and had to begin counting backwards from ten. "Listen here, you egotistical bastard, I don't like this, I don't want to be here with you. So why don't you get over yourself and leave me alone." She turned to leave, when he grabbed her by the arm and pushed her up against the shower glass. His face was mere inches from hers; she could feel his breath mingle with hers. "Now listen here Granger," he growled, "I already know you don't want to be here with me as I do not want to be here with you, but we have no choice. So why don't we try to be a little civil towards each other, and maybe we will not be at each other's throats all the time." All she could do was to nod her head slightly for she wasn't able to move. He stayed in front of her for a few moments more, and then stormed out of the bathroom. When Draco was gone, she let out a breath that she didn't realize she was holding.

Once back in her room, she changed out of her robes and into a short silky nightgown, and sat down on her bed. Draco had scared her, and it made her furious. There was a time once, when she would have been firing back insults and threatening him with hexes into oblivion. She thought of what Harry and Ron would say. "He's just a stupid git who needs to learn how to be nice." She said aloud. She missed them so much, the pain in her heart rushing back and leaving her breathless. Hermione brought out the tiny little gold journal that Ron had given her that she began keeping after the tragedy of their loss, and found the next clean page. She felt hot tears flowing down her cheeks, as she thought of all the wonderful times that they shared. She remembered all of the rules they broke just to do the right thing, and how Dumbledore always seemed to be on their side. She began writing, scribbling all of her feelings she had that day, and all the encounters with Draco. In there she wrote hopes and thoughts, she wrote about the common room and her private quarters. When she began to feel tired and couldn't stop yawning, Hermione fell asleep with the tears no longer in her eyes, and the pain of Harry and Ron's loss a little less heavy in her heart.

That night she had the nightmare. She found herself outside of the castle face to face with a hooded figure. "W-who are you? W-what do you want?" she asked out loud. The cloaked figure began to walk closer, and Hermione felt herself go stiff when the person shouted, "Petrificus Totalus!" Once they reached her, she consumed with so much fear and all she could do was watch them circle her. "Hello my dear, I know you are wandering who I am, you'll find that I've been watching you very closely. Now that Potter isn't around to save you, this will be so much easier to get to you. I'm going to wait though, I'm going to drag this out and make you suffer. I think that this is going to be a very fun game for us to play and I can't wait to hear your screams." He sent an anti-curse making her able to move she stumbled and fell to her knees as her legs gave out. "Please," she begged, "Please, who are you? What do you want from me?" he laughed and pointed his wand. "Crucio," he said as he watched her crumble to the ground screaming in agonizing pain.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Hey guys, sorry this chapter is so short, I've been really Busy, My little sister is down for summer vacation. Thanks For all the reviews.**

**Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling Owns Everything except plot and a few original characters.  
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Hermione woke up with a start, realizing that it was all just a dream, but damn, it felt so real. As she sat up in bed, she realized that she was sore all over, and wondered if maybe it was that her body had stiffened during the night acting as if it was really happening. In the bathroom she started her bath adding a few drops of her favorite bath oil of rosemary, to help with her aching muscles. After her bath and she was dressed up in her Gryffindor robes, she came back into the bathroom and slipped on spilled water from earlier. That moment Draco decided to walk in to make sure his already perfectly styled hair was still perfect, and caught her on her knees trying to get up. "Wow Granger, finally learning your place in this world?" one of his world famous smirks plastered on his face.

She just looked up with a glare, as she continued to get up off the floor, not saying a word. "What, no sarcastic comeback form the almighty Granger? Cat got your tongue?" He drawled out. Ten…nine…eight…oh screw it! "No Malfoy, I have learned my place in this world, I'm still here to make sure that your life is a living hell. Now if you will EXCUSE ME, I need to get to class." She the painting she finally calmed down as she walked to her potions class. She sat alone as Professor Slughorn passed out their next assignment.

Her thoughts wondered to the dream from the night before, and how it wasn't like any of the other nightmares she had had in the past. This is the first time that she actually woke up sore after a dream. Who was the cloaked figure, and how the hell did he get into her head? These questions were running through her head, and she was beginning to notice a strange feeling, as if someone was watching her. When she looked around, she didn't notice anything out of the ordinary, and she didn't see anyone looking at her. Yet after she quit looking, the feeling came back.

At dinner she sat with Ginny, Luna and Neville. She wasn't surprised when she found out that Luna and Neville were dating, they went perfect together. "Ever since Neville saved me back in the war, I just couldn't stop thinking about him." Luna was saying. Hermione was staring off into space when she felt a tap on her shoulder. Ginny was looking at her, with questioning eyes. "You okay, Mione?" She whispered. "Yea, Ginny, I just keep having this weird feeling that someone is watching me, I've had it all day. I don't know who it is, and I'm starting to think that it has something to do with a dream I had last night." Hermione answered; as she told her about the dream she had the night before.

"Hermione, that's terrible! Do you know who the guy was?" Ginny said with a gasp. "Yea Gin, I know. I guess all I can do is wait and see what happens tonight." She said while they walked out of the Great Hall. "Well I'm here for you whenever you need me, and let me know how it goes tonight." She said before heading off to the Head's dorm. "Ma Cherie," she said as the Painting swung open. When she walked in, she saw Draco sitting in one of the arm chairs, a bunch of papers in front of him, with his head in his hands. This was a strange sight to her, him being so unkempt, and not all perfect.

Draco was sitting in the Common room, bored when his Family owl arrived at the window. After giving him a treat he took the rather thick envelope form the owl, and went and sat down to read what was inside.

_Dear Mr. Malfoy,_

_ I would like to inform you that your mother, Narcissa Malfoy, has fallen very ill, she is staying here in one of our finest rooms. Right now she is in a coma and there is no telling how long she will be under. We have talked to the Headmistress and she has said that on a certain day and time you will be able to come and visit her. Please speak with her and reply back a.s.a.p. _

_ Sincerely,_

_ Healer Mayson_

_ Assistant Healer of St. Mungo's Hospital_

The letter had Draco shocked still. His mother, the only one that had truly loved him, and cared for him, was now bedridden and unconscious. She was the one that had shown him the light and talked him into betraying his father and Voldemort. As he looked at the other papers, there were bank statements and papers about the family business. There was even a letter telling him that until his mother awakens, he is now in charge of Malfoy Inc. and it was his job to look after everything and make the final decisions. This was nothing new to Draco, for his father had taught him the business and what to do in case of an emergency.

He put his head in his hands and ran them through his hair, a thing he always did when he was stressed. He didn't hear the painting open, and didn't notice Hermione watching him. After making a soft "ahem" he looked up and finally acknowledged her. "What do you want Granger, don't you see that I am busy?" he said in an exhausted tone. When she said nothing and sat down in the chair next to him, he gave her a long look. "Really Granger, what part of I am busy didn't you understand?" He huffed. "I am not here to bother you, I just need your signature on a few of these schedules, and we need to start planning the masquerade ball. McGonagall needs the plans in one week; the ball will be at the end of October…"

"Granger, stop," he interrupted, "I don't need this right now, and so just make up some plans, I'll sign the damn thing, and leave me the hell alone." He screamed, and sat back down and ran his hand through his hair again. Hermione gave him a look of hatred, sadness, and hurt. He wondered why. She sure hasn't been the same stupid mudblood that she used to be. Nowadays she was silent most of the time, hardly ever talking back at him when he insults her, except for the few times on the train, and this morning. She hasn't been the know-it-all from the years before either. "Whatever, I don't have time to wonder about Granger." He muttered to himself and went back to his papers.

Hermione went back up to her room and fell back onto her bed. It didn't take a long time before she fell asleep, and the dream came.

_She was in an elegant room, full of mirrors, and then all of a sudden, the hooded figure was in front of her. "Hello my Dear, how are you tonight?" He said, and all she could do was stop and stare at him. "Well, are you going to answer me, or do I have to start rough tonight?" Hermione shook her head and answered, "No, and I am fine I guess. May I ask who you are?" the hooded figure laughed. "You may ask but that doesn't mean that I will necessarily mean that I will answer you." She was so confused on what was happening and who this person was. "Well, if you don't mind, I think I will be going now." When she tried to turn to leave, she noticed that her feet where stuck to the ground. "I'm sorry dear, but I believe that you are not going anywhere. You are going to stay right where you are and you will answer anything that I ask you." __**Like hell she would.**_

___"Now, I understand that you are sharing a common room with the Prince of Slytherin, Mr. Draco Malfoy…is that correct?" she nodded her head. "Does he seem any different to you? Is he nice to you?" Hermione shook her head. "Good. Now did you enjoy last night? I know I did. I enjoyed watching you scream. I enjoyed watching you writhe on the ground." She shivered at the remembrance of it all. "There was one thing that I did not like. You didn't beg me to stop. You are going to be a hard one to break, my little lion." He began circling around her, slowly trailing his hand through her hair, and about the second round, he grabbed it tight in his fist and pulled her backwards. "You WILL beg when I am through with you, I am going to break you down, and you WILL give in to me." He laughed. Hermione tried to open her mouth but found that she couldn't speak. "I think that is all for tonight. Sweet dreams, and watch out, you never know who is watching you." With that, he vanished._

Hermione awoke in her room, with a severe pain in the back of her head. She now believed that these dreams were for real, and that someone was trying to harm her. However, she was not ready to tell anyone but Ginny quite yet, she wanted to see what was coming next. Whatever it was, she could take it, and after all, she did survive the war.

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><p><strong>AN: Any suggestions and ideas to improve are more than welcome. Thanks Guys! **


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